CLASS B NOTEBOOK: Mavericks tough in Region 6 opener

September 6, 2012

Things didn't look good for the Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood volleyball team Friday heading into the third game against Bottineau in a Region 6 opener.

MLS (6-2 overall, 1-0 region 6) dropped the first two games, 25-15, 25-17, but sophomore Callie Carlson and junior Shania Brackenbury helped the Mavericks win the next three games to earn a hard-fought victory (15-25,17-25,25-21,25-17,16-14).

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The win avenged a 2-1 loss to the Stars (7-2, 2-1) in the Bottineau Invitational last month. It was Bottineau's first loss of the season.

"The intensity of the gym and the intensity of the floor changed a lot after the first two sets," Brackenbury said. "The pace quickened up when we had the ball."

Carlson led the team with 13 kills and Brackenbury had a team-high 27 assists and added eight aces for MLS. Defensively, Skylar Aberle recorded 22 digs and Sierra Smith finished with 21. Smith also had 10 aces, which helped during a tight fifth game.

"I don't know where those came from," Brackenbury said of the aces. "The fifth set was neck and neck the whole way. The aces at the end really helped."

MLS withstood Bottineau junior Bailey Neubauer's 48-assist game, which is the most for any player this season. Neubauer's 48 assists were five more than New Rockford-Sheyenne junior Marissa Duchsherer's 43 assists against Rolette-Wolford and 14 more than Dakota Prairie senior Amanda Martin's 34 assists against Drayton-St. Thomas.

The Mavericks have won four straight games and host Vevla tonight at 7 p.m.

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Carrington on a roll

Sitting at 6-0 early in the season, the Carrington High School volleyball team should feel good about itself as it prepares to start Region 4 play.

The Cardinals dominated the Lakota Tournament last month, dropping one game in five matches. Midkota was the only team to force a third game against Carrington during the tournament. Carrington finished off the tournament by sweeping host Lakota.

The Lakota Tournament featured four conference opponents for the Cardinals - Lakota, Midkota, Rolla-Rock Lake and New Rockford-Sheyenne. Carrington is the only team thus far to defeat Midkota or Rolla-Rock Lake this season.

The Cardinals are 56-8-1 dating back to the beginning of the 2010 season.